Sign for advertising and the like



Jan. 8,1929. 1,697,913l

o. HIRR ET Al.

sIcfN Fon ADVERTISING AND THE LIKE vFilm1 July 18, "1927 05M Hin; EleocZam AW'Zes, INI/ENTOR.

Hroaz'o Forero) BY MM ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 8, 1929;

, UNITED OTTO BIBB, ELEODOBO AVILS, AND ABCADIO FQRERO, F BUENOS AIRES, ENTDTA.

.MSIGN FOB ADVERTISING AND THE LIKE.

Application led July 18, 1927, Serial No. 206,713, and in Argentina May 31, 1927.

The present invention relates to certain improvements in signs of the type constituted by continuous tubes through which circulates a stream of liquid' which may or may not be interrupted at point-s by bodies of air; the chief object of the invention being to simplify the operation of the apparatus and to reduce its cost of manufacture and maintenance.

Another object of the invention is to construct the signs in such a way as to render them luminous, whereby noteworthy effects are obtained during the night.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the present specification proceeds and will be specifically claimed.

In order that the present invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into practice the preferred form thereof has 2O been illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically the general arrangement of the apparatus, as well as all its elements, in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view ony line a-b Fig. 1 of the casing'enclosing' the sign and its actuating means, and finally Fig. 3 illustrates a centrifugal pump which may be used advantageously for circulating the stream of liquid and air continuously through the apparatus.

In all these figures, like reference numerals indicate like or equivalent parts.

According to the invention, the sign is actuated by means of an electric motor 1 or its equivalent, the shaft 2 of which driv two centrifugal pumps 3 and 16', arranged in l line, but it is to be understood that such number is not limitative but may be increased or reduced. according to the number of different colours which must appear on the sign, as hereinafter explained` y The pump 3` draws in the liquid contained end of which is arranged near the bottom of the said tank, the pipe 4 being in communication with a branch 6 through which air is drawn in simultaneously from the atmosphere. The mixture of air and liquid leaves thepump through a. pipe 7 and enters the lower end of a small cylindrical balancing vessel 8, the liquid collecting at the lower part thereof, while the air passes to its upper part indicated at 9. Through the compreswithin a tank 5 through a; pipe 4 the lower sion created within the said balancing vessel by the air, the liquid is forced through a pipe 10, the lower end of-which terminates in proximityv to the bottom of the vessel. This pipe 10, which is provided with a small port 11 through which the air enters the pipe from the air space 9, leads to the letters 12 forming the sign and, after travelliugthrough the entire path thereof, the mixture of air and liquid returns through a pipe 14 to the upper part of the tank 5. The letters arearranged on a base plate 13 hereafter described.

The lower part of the small balancing vessel.8 is connected by a return pipe 15 to the tank 5, which pipe is provided with a suitable constriction in order to regulate the pressure wit-hin the said vessel by forcing part of the liquid in the vessel ,to iow back to the tank through the said pipe. In this way, it is possible to supply liquid and air as required, according to the cross-section or len h of the glass tubing 12 of the sign, thus o taining a regular circulation for any size 'of tubes used.

The liquid contained within the tank 5 may be of any suitable nature, and a -colouring agent is added thereto so that it may be seen from the exterior when it flows through the pipes of the sign, the air bub-l bles contained in it giving a perfect appearance of mobility signs.

In the form illustrated, and with the ob`- ject of giving the sign a greater variety, a. second pump 16 is shown, coupled to shaft 2, which draws in from the lower part of tank 18, through a. pipe 17 the liquid therein contained and which is of, or has, a different colour than thatv of tank 5. The pipe 17 is connected with a branch 19 for drawing in air from the atmosphere. The liquid drawn in by the pump is impelled through pipe 20 toand within a small balancing vessel 21, preferably of cylindrical form, the liquid collecting at its lower part and the air rising .to the upper part 22 on account of the difference in density. A pipe 23 vopening into the said vessel, near its lower end or bottom and provided with a. small port 24 serving the same purpose as the port 11 of pipe l() as already described, carries the `air and liquid to another part of the sign,

to the said lettersor de-U a return pipe' 38, to the upper part of tank 18, the adjustment of pressure being effected by way of a partial constriction, the same as described with reference to the 'pi e 15.

`Both tanks 5 and 18 are provi ed with vents 27 which permit an excess of air to escape to the atmosphere, said vents serving also for re-illing the said tanks when neces-v sary. The centrifugal pumps employed may be of any suitable type, although uite satisfactory results have been obtaine with that diagrammatically vrepresented in Fig. 3. In accordance with this form, on the shaft 2 is mounted vconcentrically a. circular disc 28 working Within a circular cavity 29 eccen trically arranged with relation to the sald disc and formed within the body of the pump' and from which "lead channels registering with the pipes 4 and 7 as previously mentioned. The circular disc is formed with a number of radially dis osed Ofrooves 30 Within which are housed t e blades 31 the outer edges of which are constantly in contact with the inner surface of the cavity 29 on account of the centrifugal action created by the shaftf2 during its rotation, whereby a vacu um and a ressure are created alternately, in

the directlon as indicated by the arrows of Fig. 3.

I The shaft 2 rotates in bearings 32 formed in the interior of casings closing the bodies of the pumps 3 and 16, forming a substantially integral unit.

According to the present invention, the base plate 13 supporting the continuous glass tubes or pipes `forming the letters or designs of the, sign, is cut away totally or partially, as indicated at 33, in correspondence with the conti ration with the said signs, to the .object o permitting the passage through said cut-away parts and glass tubes, of lig t rays from a source of light, for insta-nce, electric lamps 34 situated and ar-V ranged on a reflecting plate 35 which, in turn, is arranged within a casing 36 which, if desired, may housethe current controlling parts 37 of the apparatus.

In this way, the effect of moving illuminated letters-b projection of light rays through the tu es or pipes forming such letters-fis obtained.

The operation will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art, and needs no further explanation.

Evidently, various'modiications of construction and other details may be made without departing from the sphere of the resent invention which has been clearly dened in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention v:- 1. An advertising or l1ke device, comprlsing a base plate provided with transparent piping representing-indicia;'a tank to contain liquid; a transmission ipin systeml leading from said tank to the indicia piping and from the latter back to the tank, such system embodyin a balancin vessel, a delivery section lea in thereto rom the tank,

tion section to be introduced, together ,with liquid from said tank, into the balancin vessel and to separate in said vessel from t e liquid, a discharge section leading from the balancing vessel to the inlet end of the indicia-piping and having an, inlet fluid within the con nes ofthe vessel, and

a supfply section lea ing to the delivery sec-v or admitting gaseous fluid to the `latter ort for the 'separated l a return section leading from the outlet end of said indicia piping back `to the tank; and

the transmission piping system and the indicia iping.

2. n a vertising or like device, comprising transparent piping representing indicia; a tank to contain liquid; a 'transmission piping system leading ina closed path from the tankto the indicia .pipin and from the lattervback to the tank, suc system including means for introducing a gaseous fluid thereinto to produce spacin ubbles in the liquid; and a rotary centri ugal pump connected to the transmission piping for continuously circulating a stream of yliquid and gaseous luid completely through the indicia and transmission piping.

3. An advertising or like device, comprising transparent piping representing indicia; a tank to contain liquld; a transmission piping system leading in a closed pat-hy from the tank to the indicia pi ing and from the latter back to the tanx, such system includinfr means for introducing a aseous fluid tliereinto to produce spacing ubbles in the li uid, and also including a balancing vessel w erein the liquid andthe gaseous fluid separate in the lower and upper portions of the vessel to regulate the pressure therein; and means connected to said transmission piping for circulating the liquid and gaseous fiuid completely through the indicia and transmission iping.

4;. An advertising device, according to claim 3, in which the transmission piping includes a section having its inlet portion disposed in the balancing vessel and terminatin adjacent the bottom thereof and provide with an inlet port for the separated uid within the confines of the vessel; the outlet portion of such section leading to the inlet end of the indicia piping.

advertising or -like device, comprising transparent piping representing a pump connected to said delivery sectionv indicia; a tank to contain liquid; a transmission piping'l s vstem leading 'in a closed path from the tank to the indicia piping and from the latter` back to the tank, such system including means for introducing a gaseous fluid thereinto to produce spacing tinuously circulating a stream of liquid and gaseous fluid completely through the indicia and transmission piping.

6. An advertising device,` according to claim 5, in which the transmission piping includes a section having its inlet portion disposed in the balancing vessel and terminating adjacent thebottom thereof and provided ivith an inlet port for the separated iluid Within the contines of the vessel; the outlet portion of such section leading to the inlet end of the indicia piping.

In testiinonvv1 whereof we atlx our signatures. p v

OTTO HIRR. ELEODORO AVILS. ARCADIO FOR-ERO. 

